Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among Nigerian medical doctors

Background: Since its discovery in late 2019, COVID-19 has claimed approximately three million lives worldwide, causing a significant economic burden and strain on health care delivery and services. Therefore, the COVID-19 vaccine may offer the potential to promote global recovery. Objective: To determine the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine among Nigerian doctors and the factors influencing the acceptance. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, an anonymous online survey was administered to medical doctors across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria between 13 January and 31 January 2021, using the health belief model (HBM). Results: Out of 830 respondents, 38.8% were willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine, 36.0% were unsure, while the remaining 26.5% refused to take the vaccine. Following adjustments, males were more likely to take the vaccine (OR = 3.357; 95% CI 2.009-5.610; p = 0.0001), whereas increasing age, higher perceived viral virulence and perceived viral infectivity were observed to be significantly associated with less likelihood of accepting the vaccine. Respondents who believed in the efficacy of ivermectin were much less likely to receive the vaccine (OR = 0.217; 95% CI 0.108-0.436; p=0.001). Concerns on vaccination safety were the main barriers to vaccine acceptability. Hypothetically addressing these concerns increased vaccine acceptance rates by approximately a third (34.6%) (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The proposed nationwide distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine may be met with poor vaccine acceptability among Nigerian medical practitioners. Measures specifically addressing vaccine safety concerns should be provided to allay fears and enhance the acceptability of the vaccine.

Nutritional Evaluation Using Dfferent Anthropometric Variables in Nigerian School Children

The anthropometric characteristics of 600 apparently healthy children of ages between 5 and 10 years of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja Nigeria; consisting of males (n = 300) with a mean age of 7.10 ? 1.98 and females (n = 300) with a mean age of 7.68 ? 1.86 were selected for the evaluation of their nutritional status using different anthropometric variables. The anthropometric characteristic of their height; age; weight; mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC); chest circumference and body mass index (BMI) was measured and analysed statistically for any significant difference; and correlation between the parameters studied. The results show some significant differences (P = 0.05) between the anthropometric parameters and a significant correlation (=0.001) between the height and BMI; and other parameters in males and females. The study derived a linear regression and a multiple linear regression equations for Gbagyi children from which height; age; weight; MUAC; chest circumference and BMI could be predicted if one factor is known. The results from the present study provided an insight into the nutritional status of Nigerian school children of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja using the BMI and MUAC which showed if a child is malnourished; overweight or obese. The results from the present study show that there is a positive correlation between height and age; and other parameters indicating that height could be predicted using age; weight; BMI; chest circumference and MUAC; while BMI and mid upper arm circumference could be a useful tool in the estimation of nutritional status among Nigerian school children of Gbagyi tribe of Abuja